Disease Outbreak Alerts

Updates on current disease outbreaks are listed here as they occur and will include the date listed, disease name, location and current status. Specific premises will not be named but the general location by town, county and state will be listed. When locations, events or horses are at risk they will be listed. Updates will be posted as they are received.

State

Disease

Dates

Date

Disease

Location

Status

August 17, 2017

Equine Herpes Viruses

Culpeper, VA

Outbreak Update

Source:
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

On August 15, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) confirmed a diagnosis of Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) on two horses from Culpeper County. A third horse on the quarantined farm developed a fever the evening of August 16 and tested positive for the neuropath genic strain of the Equine Herpes Virus -1. The quarantine will be extended until September 6th. This third horse is under veterinary care and has no other symptoms. Because the farm is under quarantine, no additional horses have been exposed.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection has confirmed its fourth case of equine EEE for 2017. The 10-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was from Jackson County. The vaccination status of this horse could not be determined. The horse had a high fever, showed neurologic signs, became non-ambulatory, and was euthanized. No quarantine was established.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection has confirmed its fourth case of equine West Nile Virus for 2017. The nonvaccinated 13-year-old Belgian mare was from Jackson County. She showed neurologic signs, became nonambulatory, and was euthanized. No quarantine has been established.

August 17, 2017

West Nile Virus

Clinton and Wexford Counties, MI

Confirmed Case(s): No Quarantine

Source:
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has received confirmation that two additional Michigan horses have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The two cases are as follows: a 10-year-old Belgian mare from Clinton County and a 21- year-old Quarter Horse mare from Wexford County. Both horses developed a sudden onset of neurologic disease including being down/unable to get up and were subsequently euthanized due to the severity of the disease. Neither horse had been vaccinated against WNV. This brings the total number of Michigan horses reported as having WNV in 2017 to seven, one each from the following counties: Clinton, Livingston, Jackson, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, and Wexford. No quarantines were issued.

August 17, 2017

Rabies

Polk County, NC

Confirmed Case(s): No Quarantine

Source:
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has confirmed that a Polk County horse contracted Rabies. The horse was a 25 Year old, unvaccinated, Halflinger that showed a quick onset of clinical signs. The horse was isolated and died shortly afterward.

August 16, 2017

West Nile Virus

Kent, DE

Confirmed Case(s): No Quarantine

Source:
The Delaware Office of the State Veterinarian

The Office of the State Veterinarian today announced the Delaware’s first case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in a horse in 2017. The infected horse was an 11-year-old Quarter horse mare residing in Kent County. The horse began showing signs of weakness in all four limbs on August 6. The mare lost the ability to stand and was therefore euthanized on August 9. Samples were submitted to the Delaware Public Health Laboratory on August 10, which confirmed the diagnosis of WNV on August 14. The affected horse was not currently vaccinated against WNV. For more information go to http://news.delaware.gov/2017/08/15/west-nile-virus-confirmed-delaware-horse/

August 16, 2017

Equine Herpes Viruses

Culpeper, VA

Outbreak Update

Source:
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has reported that there are no new cases of EHM confirmed in Culpeper or elsewhere in Virginia. The Marion DuPont Scott Equine Medical Center is not under quarantine and is following strict isolation and biosecurity protocols for the recovering horse. If no new cases occur, the farm will remain quarantined with no equids allowed on or off until September 4th. There had been no movement of horses off the premises in the month preceding the first diagnosed case on the farm. For more information go to http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/press-releases-170816-ehv-1a.shtml

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture received confirmation of its third equine EEE case for 2017. The horse was an unvaccinated 9-year-old Quarter Horse mare from Monroe County. The horse acted depressed during the afternoon of 8/6, then began showing neurologic signs and was down by that evening. She was euthanized the next day. No quarantine has been issued. All three of the confirmed WI EEE cases have been from Monroe County.

August 15, 2017

Equine Herpes Viruses

Culpeper, VA

Confirmed case(s): Quarantine

Source:
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

On August 11th a horse exhibiting neurologic signs was transported to the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, VA from a farm in Culpeper, VA. The horse was immediately isolated from the hospital population and has not come into contact with any other patients. On Aug. 12, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (VDACS) Animal Health Lab in Warrenton confirmed a diagnosis of Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) due to EHV-1. The horse remains isolated while undergoing supportive care. On Aug. 14th, a second horse from the same farm developed a fever and neurologic symptoms and was euthanized. VDACS’ Animal Health Lab confirmed a diagnosis of EHM. The farm is under quarantine. The Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center employed strict biosecurity measures and disinfection upon arrival and will continue to do so during the entirety of the horse’s hospitalization. The Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center is operating normally. For more info go to: http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals-equine-herpes-virus.shtml and https://aaep.org/sites/default/files/Documents/DiseaseFactsheetEHM.pdf

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